Even in the midst of Maine's most agricultural areas, seniors can find access to fresh produce limited. And that's where Friends of Aroostook steps in.

Gillian Graham

Dale Flewelling, who runs the Houlton-based Friends of Aroostook farm program sits near 26 thousand pounds of potatoes that are set to be shipped people in need. Getting fresh vegetables to seniors who are homebound or have difficulty getting to grocery stores or farm stands is essential for their health, Flewelling said. Many have trouble buying fresh produce because of transportation, health or money issues, he said. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Staff Photographer

H

OULTON — As small Aroostook County towns give way to rolling potato fields, seniors in some of the most rural areas of the state find themselves living in
an unlikely place: the middle of a food desert.

“Often we think that in an agricultural area, produce is easily accessible. It’s not so,” said Dale Flewelling, who runs the Houlton-based Friends of
Aroostook farm program. “Folks in Aroostook, especially seniors, have less access to fresh produce than in York County. I don’t think people realize that.
They think there are fields galore.”

Friends of Aroostook is partnering with Meals on Wheels and Good Shepherd Food Bank to get fresh produce into the hands of seniors, who live in what the
U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as a food desert – a place where most residents live more than 10 miles from a grocery store.

“People don’t think of Aroostook County as a food desert because we grow everything here,” said Dottie Sines, wellness nutrition director for the Aroostook
Area Agency on Aging, which provides Meals on Wheels to more than 800 seniors. “You look around and think how come people are hungry? But most of the food
goes out of the county.”

There are more than 2.3 million Americans who live in rural food deserts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of Aroostook and Washington
counties are so defined.

Last year, Friends of Aroostook distributed 117,000 pounds of food across the county and beyond. This year the program distributed 106,150 pounds of
produce, below the goal of 130,000 pounds because of a light harvest, Flewelling said.

Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Staff Photographer

Growing thousands of pounds of potatoes, rutabagas, carrots and other vegetables has become a full-time mission for Flewelling and his small staff of
part-time employees and volunteers. The food is distributed through Meals on Wheels, Good Shepherd Food-Bank and other volunteer groups.

Meals on Wheels is able to get produce to seniors the same day, while Good Shepherd can supply food pantries within a couple days. It is the fastest and
most efficient way to get vegetables with a short shelf life to seniors and onto shelves at food pantries, Flewelling said.

Started through Empowering Life, a faith-based ministry in Houlton, Friends of Aroostook is now an independent nonprofit. Since 2008, the program has grown
produce on land donated by local farmers. Next year, the program will move to its own leased 44-acre farm in the greater Houlton area. Flewelling said his
crew will plant 20 acres in 2014 and prepare the rest of the land for the following growing season.

Dale Flewelling, who runs the Houlton-based Friends of Aroostook farm program moves potatoes at the David Winship Family Farm in Hodgdon as he prepares for a shipment.

Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Staff Photographer

Getting fresh vegetables to seniors who are homebound or have difficulty getting to grocery stores or farm stands is essential for their health, Flewelling
said. Many have trouble buying fresh produce because of transportation, health or money issues, he said.

“They just can’t get to it. We’re trying to help bridge that gap,” Flewelling said.

Seniors who receive Meals on Wheels at home or through congregate dining centers also receive bags of produce provided by Friends of Aroostook. This
winter, a variety pack delivered to seniors includes winter squash, potatoes, beets and carrots. More than 450 have been delivered so far and Flewelling
expects to provide another 2,000 pounds of produce this winter.

“We’ve found seniors miss getting fresh fruits and veggies, like salad and apples,” Sines said. “Now they are overjoyed. When they get beet greens, they
gobble those up. They’re using everything we get them.”

Nancy Violette, 65, of Presque Isle receives the produce and has volunteered to bag vegetables for other seniors who go to The Gather Place Senior Center
for a weekly Meals on Wheels lunch. She said the program helps because produce is expensive and many seniors will choose other groceries like bread and
milk before they splurge on fresh fruits and vegetables.

“Fresh produce is expensive. When I was younger I always had a big garden. Now I’m at the age I can’t do that too much anymore,” she said.

Violette said the seniors who gather at the center are always grateful when the bags of produce arrive.

“They’re so happy, they’ll ask when the next vegetables are going to come in,” she said.

Flewelling said the new farm will make it easier for Friends of Aroostook to grow more produce and continue to build a network of people working to end
hunger in Aroostook County.

“We’re making great strides in creating this system,” he said. “The system just wasn’t in place to provide to provide fresh produce on a consistent basis.”

A growing percentage of the state's food-stamp recipients are elderly, even as the federal program has become a target for those looking to reduce spending.

Further Discussion

Here at PressHerald.com we value our readers and are committed to growing our community by encouraging you to add to the discussion.
To ensure conscientious dialogue we have implemented a strict no-bullying policy. To participate, you must follow our Terms of Use.

Questions about the article? Add them below and we’ll try to answer them or do a follow-up post as soon as we can.
Technical problems?Email them to us with an exact description of the problem. Make sure to include:

Type of computer or mobile device your are using

Exact operating system and browser you are viewing the site on (TIP: You can easily determine your operating system here.)